sixoffpiste.com Open in urlscan Pro
67.205.13.236  Public Scan

Form analysis
1 forms found in the DOM

GET http://sixoffpiste.com/

<form role="search" method="get" class="search-form" action="http://sixoffpiste.com/">
  <label for="search-form-1">
    <span class="screen-reader-text">Search for:</span>
  </label>
  <input type="search" id="search-form-1" class="search-field" placeholder="Search …" value="" name="s">
  <button type="submit" class="search-submit"><svg class="icon icon-search" aria-hidden="true" role="img">
      <use xlink:href="#icon-search"></use>
    </svg><span class="screen-reader-text">Search</span></button>
</form>

Text Content

Skip to content


SIX OFF PISTE

"Don't buy me the things you wish you'd had growing up, teach me the things you
wish you'd known growing up"

Menu
 * Home
 * Ethos
 * Posts
 * Contact Information

Scroll down to content


POSTS

Posted on July 25, 2021


DEAR TEACHER: FROM A STUDENT

Dear Mr. Gugick,

It’s crazy that it’s been a year.

Your death hit us hard. And it doesn’t really seem to get easier.

It’s 2 a.m. and I can’t sleep because all your words are running together in my
mind.  

I never had a teacher like you, and I don’t expect I’ll ever have another one. I
remember the first time I met you. You solved a Rubik’s Cube behind your back
and then told us you’d forgotten all of our names during your sabbatical. I
remember thinking I was in for a strange year.

I had no idea. Sometimes I’ll be sitting in class and laugh, thinking about how
you would repeatedly tell us it made you anxious when we stood up before the
bell rang, how you were banned from the state of Florida because of your
reaction to a student who stood up too soon. Or about how you would tell us to
have a good weekend and go “run around with sticks and burn things or whatever
it is that you do.”

As time goes on, I’ll forget your jokes. I’ll forget your stories. And I’ll
definitely forget the math. But there are some things you taught me that I will
never forget.

The words that will always stick with me the most were the ones from the last
time I ever saw you. The most important lesson you ever taught me had little to
do with math. 

I remember when you stopped class and started going on a tangent. Just from the
tone of your voice and the change in the atmosphere of the room to a more
serious one, I knew this moment was going to be one that I’d think about for
years. Before you even started speaking, I knew your words would change my
life.“

You said that our friend groups were like tribes and that tribes were
instinctively fearful of opening up to newcomers. It was human instinct. But we
had to be brave and defy those instincts and the status quo. You said the way to
welcome someone into your tribe was through a shared experience. You urged us to
reach out to people and bring them into our tribes.”

You said that our friend groups were like tribes and that tribes were
instinctively fearful of opening up to newcomers. It was human instinct. But we
had to be brave and defy those instincts and the status quo. You said the way to
welcome someone into your tribe was through a shared experience. You urged us to
reach out to people and bring them into our tribes.

I don’t know if you could tell the future when you said that or what, but I know
that you created a whole new tribe in Beachwood. It was almost ironic how we
were brought together through the shared experience of your death.

I remember after you spoke about tribes, the person next to me said, “Mr. Gugick
should be president. There would be no hate.”

I wish you could be president. I think the world would be a lot better off.

You taught me other important things, too, though. To go outside, to not worry
about grades so much, to put down my phone, to speak up. 

I feel like I took for granted what it meant to have a teacher like you. What an
honor it was to learn from one of the smartest people I will ever encounter.

I always struggled with math until your class. But somehow, when you taught it,
it all made complete sense. And it seems like that’s how it was for everyone.

I struggle through math now; it doesn’t click. But for some reason, when you
plugged in your calculator to the board, it did. You made the hardest questions
on the ACT into simple arithmetic. You made me not dread numbers and math.

Above all, though, you didn’t only teach through giving answers. You made me
question things. How much I’m capable of (more than I think); what counts at the
end of the day (the way you made others feel about themselves); and what matters
more: the number of people who will remember you or the people who will do
something with what they remember (I’ll let you figure that one out).

They say the best teachers teach you the skills you’ll need outside of the
classroom, and you definitely did just that.

I hope you’re up there right now, laughing at us, sharing a drink with Leonard
Euler, and jamming out to the Grateful Dead. 

Because of you Mr. Gugick, we stand a little taller. We smile a little wider.
And we try a little harder.

All I can say now is thank you. Thank you for all you taught me. Thank you for
helping me expand my tribe. Thank you for making me someone who can honestly
say, “I learned from one of the greats.”

I think The Wonder Years summed it up best. “Teachers never die. They live in
your memory forever. And you never really knew them, not any more than they knew
you. Still, for a while, you believed in them, And- if you were lucky- maybe
there was one who believed in you.”

Thank you for believing in us. Tal Rothberg

Posted on September 27, 2020


LIFE: NOT SUGAR COATED

You are screwed and I’m not going to sugar coat it.
(Literally, I will not put sugar on anything.)
Everybody today faces an impossible predicament.
You’ve been catapulted into this world (literally shot out of a human body)
without an instruction manual.
For 9 months you grew inside of a human body….then all of a sudden you were
expected to figure sh*t out on your own.
It’s almost like you woke up in a ferrari going 100 miles an hour headed for a
cliff and you’re expected to stop the car.
But you have no clue what a ferrari is…you don’t even know what a car is
You don’t know what a cliff is and you sure as hell don’t know what a brake is
You don’t even know that you’re a human being
You just feel sensations
You’re totally lost and helpless
You know nothing.
This state is what the Greeks called aporia.
The problem is that most people are not in it…
They know nothing, but think they know everything.
They are constantly bullshitting themselves and bullshitting others.
The human body & brain is the most powerful machine in the world, but similarly
you have no idea how to operate it. 
In some ways, you’re not totally helpless — you have genetic programming and DNA
that learns & adapts.
You’re programmed with the capability to learn to speak, walk and survive in
social environments.
Your body knows how to grow into a full human being (imagine if you needed to
mentally grow all your limbs…). But that’s about it.
The problem is that these SAME adaptive mechanisms also open you up to DECEPTION
from others and from yourself.
Your body adapted to find certain things salient that would increase your
chances of survival.
Like a barricuda, you’re attracted to shiny objects.
You think you know what you TRULY want…but instead you’re just following what
your genetic code finds SHINY.
All of us have innate and adaptive mechanisms that increase chances of getting
your genetic material passed on.
Things like conformity, status seeking, wealth accumulation and cravings for
sugar.

Happiness is not a priority for your genes…all they want is to procreate and
survive. On the serengeti this wasn’t a huge issue.
There was a concordance with these behaviors and the environment.
The drive for sugar was okay because there wasn’t much sugar available, for
instance.
But with modernity all of that changed.
Companies created hyper normal versions of stimuli and realized that they could
tap into these evolutionary drives.
The drive for sugar was translated into recommendations to eat literal dessert
for breakfast…
The drive to accumulate fat turned into a massive rise in obesity…
The drive to accumulate wealth led to the worlds richest people in history while
much of the world starves
Because these urges are adaptive — meaning they used to increase survival
chances — they are almost impossible to resist.
This was a huge business opportunity.
Another level higher, culture conditioned people to crave these things too.
In fact, culture became a mechanism to justify + glorify them.
For instance, someone who eats just steak is now considered weird compared to
someone that eats practical dessert 3 meals a day.
Your brain’s adapted computer code has been hijacked and hacked by these modern
stimuli. Hackers found these vulnerabilities and attacked.
These aren’t just problems you can just think your way out of.
Even willpower alone is moot…It’s like your computer has been hijacked and you
just shut the volume off.
The virus doesn’t go away.
You need an antiviral software.
You need institutions and practices to fight this hedonic tendency.
Over the course of human history, people realized that humans needed more than
mere consumption and survival. 
They realized the potential for you to DECEIVE YOURSELF into dedicating your
life to these base desires to the point where you can’t pursue anything higher
Your ancestors knew that life was more than just eating, drinking & having sex
and created things like religions, philosophies and rituals to instill that
wisdom.
(If these religions existed today they’d say to stop wasting all your time on
porn and tik tok for instance)
They outsourced this to the cultural layer because they realized that this
wasn’t just innate.
Unfortunately human beings don’t come out of the womb yet in a meditation pose
with the wisdom it takes to live a good life…
But pretty much all of that wisdom has been extirpated from society over the
last few 100 years.
Everybody has forgotten how to operate a human body and live a good human life.
Without consciously defining your values and what makes a good life for YOU it
ends up getting programmed by cultural conditioning
But as I discussed cultural conditioning can be corrupted by what’s in vogue…
Corrupt humans –> corrupt culture –> even more corrupt humans
The nuclear family, religions and the schooling system were important to help
people resist being overwhelmed by their base desires.
But we’ve destroyed all three, removed the katechon…the lid is off…and now base
desires run rampant.
We’ve separated knowledge from wisdom.
The schooling system teaches you random encyclopedic knowledge, but not how to
live a good life.
Most parents today weren’t taught this either, thus are in-equipped to teach
their kids.
Nobody knows:
– How to eat- How to be happy- How to find meaning- How to be fulfilled- How to
live a good life- How to be a good citizen- How to love
Instead, people just defer to culture & politics to answer these questions.
Another layer down, we don’t even have the capability to DISCUSS MORALITY. 
Instead morality has become mere preference justification.
You think things are good for society because YOU WANT THEM. Not because they
are inherently good.
Morality is just a battle of wills…
More and more, everything is answered by someone’s beliefs and political
affiliations than their actions.
The nuclear family has been destroyed. The education system is propaganda.
Religions are gone. Nobody philosophizes (in the socratic sense).
Instead of becoming wise, people simply vote for the “right party” and assume
that makes them good & virtuous. 
If you hashtag the right thing or post the right instagram photo you’re a good
person. 
If you don’t, you’re not.
It doesn’t matter what you do in your day to day life — it only matters what you
believe.
Life is more than voting left and being a hedonist. But that’s how everybody is
living.
And frankly, it’s also more than having a 6 pack and healthy body.
Eating by itself cannot make you live a good life (but I think it is an
important part nonetheless).
Once you realize that you too have no clue what a good life means, that’s when
you can start actually living one.
There used to be a human operating manual. But it was burned to ashes. 
Like after a wild fire we can scavenge a few of the remains. 
There’s a page here and there about meat I think I found…There’s another about
community and love. 
But there’s nothing cohesive.
We’re stumbling around in the dark putting together a manual that was burnt to
crisps.
Can it be resuscitated? I think so.
Let me know what you think is part of this operating manual…
Thread inspired by the work of @vervaeke_john



Posted on August 16, 2020


DATA FALLACIES


Posted on July 12, 2020July 12, 2020


HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE

I find these stories remarkable. As a father, as a husband, and as a human
being. The courage and perseverance is nearly incomprehensible.


Letters of love: ‘Our father wrote every day as he waited to be sent to
Auschwitz’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-53358123

Posted on June 28, 2020June 28, 2020


❤️AT 40, FRANZ KAFKA (1883-1924), WHO NEVER MARRIED AND HAD NO CHILDREN, WALKED
THROUGH THE PARK IN BERLIN WHEN HE MET A GIRL WHO WAS CRYING BECAUSE SHE HAD
LOST HER FAVOURITE DOLL. “SHE AND KAFKA SEARCHED FOR THE DOLL UNSUCCESSFULLY.
KAFKA TOLD HER TO MEET HIM THERE THE NEXT DAY AND THEY WOULD COME BACK TO LOOK
FOR HER. “THE NEXT DAY, WHEN THEY HAD NOT YET FOUND THE DOLL, KAFKA GAVE THE
GIRL A LETTER ‘WRITTEN’ BY THE DOLL SAYING ‘PLEASE DON’T CRY. I TOOK A TRIP TO
SEE THE WORLD. I WILL WRITE TO YOU ABOUT MY ADVENTURES.’ “THUS BEGAN A STORY
WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL THE END OF KAFKA’S LIFE. DURING THEIR MEETINGS, KAFKA READ
THE LETTERS OF THE DOLL CAREFULLY WRITTEN WITH ADVENTURES AND CONVERSATIONS THAT
THE GIRL FOUND ADORABLE. “FINALLY, KAFKA BROUGHT BACK THE DOLL (HE BOUGHT ONE)
THAT HAD RETURNED TO BERLIN. “IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE MY DOLL AT ALL,” SAID THE
GIRL. KAFKA HANDED HER ANOTHER LETTER IN WHICH THE DOLL WROTE: ‘MY TRAVELS HAVE
CHANGED ME.’ THE LITTLE GIRL HUGGED THE NEW DOLL AND BROUGHT HER HOME HAPPY. A
YEAR LATER KAFKA DIED. “MANY YEARS LATER, THE NOW-ADULT GIRL FOUND A LETTER
INSIDE THE DOLL. IN THE TINY LETTER SIGNED BY KAFKA IT WAS WRITTEN: “EVERYTHING
YOU LOVE WILL PROBABLY BE LOST, BUT IN THE END, LOVE WILL RETURN IN ANOTHER
WAY.”



Posted on October 28, 2019


ADVICE LIST FOR MY TEENS

 1.  Having good friends is a blessing. Being a good friend is obligatory.
 2.  Females have a better sense of smell, need I say more?
 3.  Covering your tracks uncovers a faulty character. Real men own up to their
     mistakes, apologize and try to put things right.
 4.  Do not photograph your private parts. The picture will end up in your
     grandmother’s Facebook feed and I promise you, you do not want to go there.
 5.  You are not what you eat, or what you drive or where you live. You are you.
     And if that is not working out for you, changing your diet or car or home
     will not fix the problem.
 6.  Clean is sexy. Thoughtful is sexy. Being blindingly drunk is pathetic.
 7.  Video games may not make you violent, but they certainly do not make you a
     better son, student or friend.
 8.  Sleep will not solve all of your problems, but not sleeping will create new
     ones.
 9.  Make Wallstreetjournal.com the home page on all your devices. You will be
     smarter for it.
 10. Junk food is for teenagers, by the time you are twenty you will find your
     body wants real food. Give it what it needs.
 11. Playing sports will make you happy and healthy. Keep games in your life.
 12. Choosing a spouse is the most important decision you will ever make, do not
     let your heart ignore your head, nor vice versa.
 13. If you are shopping for clothes and wondering if you are the kind of guy
     who can get away with a certain trendy style, then you most certainly are
     not.
 14. Saving a few dollars on a bad haircut is something you will regret
     instantly.
 15. Your girlfriends, the women who befriend you, love you, and will never
     sleep with you, will be some of the most important people in your life.
     Treat them beautifully.
 16. Never let your siblings down, they are irreplaceable. They will be your
     longest friendship in life and, one day, will be the only people who
     remember your childhood.
 17. When you have the nagging feeling that your parents would disapprove of
     what you are about to do, pause, make sure you are completely sure you have
     answered for yourself all the questions they would ask. Then proceed, using
     your own judgment.
 18. Your 20s are the time to discover your tolerance for risk, don’t pass up
     the opportunity.
 19. Spend the extra few dollars to buy decent shampoo. And deodorant.
 20. Own two perfectly pressed white shirts. You never know when a job interview
     or a girlfriend’s parents will arrive.
 21. Own lots of underwear, it will ultimately determine your laundry schedule.
 22. If you sleep with a girl, contact her the next morning, even if it is just
     an emoticon. And if you even think of pretending you don’t know her,
     envision my face.
 23. Buy gifts for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, and any other special occasion
     that arises. Little nothings, bought with care and thought, go a long way
     to making a woman feel like she is on your mind. However, if she shows a
     hint of disappointment that you did not spend more money, drop her.
 24. When you get the chance, be the kind of boss, teacher, father and friend
     that you had, or wish you had.
 25. Finish what you start. That goes for tubes of toothpaste, expensive
     entrees, and commitments you have made to others and yourself.
 26. You are only as good as your word, anyone who says otherwise has proved my
     point.
 27. Technology will not make you happy. The people it connects you with will.
     Do not confuse the two.
 28. When a woman sets out to change you, head for the hills, unless it is on
     matters of hygiene, exercise or diet, then hear her out.
 29. Your manners will say everything about you and will reflect on your parents
     every day. Don’t make us look bad.
 30. Life will disappoint you. People will disappoint you. You will disappoint
     yourself. That’s why you have parents, to help you deal with those
     disappointments.
 31. Tattoos will go out of style, if they haven’t already. Don’t be fooled into
     believing otherwise.
 32. Aspirin, water and black coffee solve a multitude of problems. Either
     together or apart.
 33. When clothes shopping with a woman do not tell her that she looks great in
     everything, it destroys your credibility. Do not tell her that she looks
     terrible in something, it destroys your relationship. Tell her what makes
     her look great, it is a message that few women tire of hearing.
 34. If your friends are jerks, you will not be far behind. Choose wisely.
 35. Be nice to your parents, it will be a long time before you can afford your
     own ski vacation.
 36. Answer your mother’s texts promptly, or as long as you want her to keep
     paying your cell phone bill.
 37. With shoes, quality always wins over quantity. Ditto suits.
 38. Toothbrushes do not last forever.
 39. Learn to swing a golf club, shoot a pool cue and cast a fishing rod, it
     will come in handy.
 40. Do not ever use your physical size to intimidate anyone, male or female,
     unless it is in an organized game of sport. If you do, I will send you back
     to the cave where you belong.
 41. Drugs will make you stupid, waste your money, introduce you to people you
     do not want to know, get you in trouble with the law, and become a habit
     you might find hard to break. Am I clear?
 42. Smile in all photos and show your good side, you never know where the
     picture will end up.
 43. If you get a rash or a cut or a burn, photograph it and text it. Moms
     diagnose, even digitally.
 44. When you come back for a home cooked meal, your old bed and laundry
     service, remember to bring a good attitude. These things are not your
     birthright.
 45. Calling your parents for no special reason is always, always a good idea.
 46. If you only share the good and never reveal the bad, no one will really
     know you.
 47. Never assume anything about another person’s wealth, health or happiness,
     all too often we are mistaken.
 48. Put the seat down, don’t argue, just do it.
 49. Your girlfriend or wife may be your best friend, and I sincerely hope she
     is. But living with her will not be like living with your other best
     friends, behave accordingly.
 50. The Social Network was right, the Internet is written in ink. Remind
     yourself of that every time you touch a keyboard.
 51. If you think you are ready for children but are not sure, get a dog.
 52. No one is ever completely ready to be a parent, it is always a bit of a
     leap.
 53. It is best to have children within 50 miles of at least one grandparent. In
     parenthood, emergencies are the rule rather than the exception.
 54. House gifts will always be remembered and appreciated so never accept a
     dinner invitation or weekend’s stay without a small token of gratitude.
 55. Soon enough you will be in a position to help those younger than you. Offer
     a hand up quickly and generously.
 56. Remember that you are a product of your upbringing and schools. Show
     gratitude and loyalty for the teachers and institutions from which you
     graduated.
 57. Check your mail! As old-fashioned as it may seem, there are some letters
     that must be opened. Letting things pile up only creates nasty past due
     surprises. Grappling with paperwork is one of adulthood’s biggest but
     unavoidable headaches.
 58. Be the kind of person others turn to with their troubles. People in pain
     seek out those with good hearts.

Posted on October 8, 2019


OUR SURVIVOR RACHEL

Our friend Rachel has given it a tireless go against cancer. May the force
continue to be with her. Here are her musings, and her art, thru the battle.
Lots to learn in here.


https://wynnewilshire.com/rachel-wynne-blog

Posted on October 8, 2019October 8, 2019


MZUNGUS, “ONLY IN AMERICA”

We had the pleasure of hosting Patrick and Joanita Mulondo at our home here in
Rancho. Patrick is the artist we met in Jinga, Uganda who makes amazing
sculptures welded from scrap metal collected by local street kids. Scrap metal
he pays 4-10 USD per kilo because Patrick pays 2x normal street price, which he
overpays because he is fortunate. He used to be one of them.


Parick grew up orphaned, after losing both his parents from AIDS at 4 years of
age. He was found on the streets by a family friend, had his art talent
discovered by a Christian organization who put him thru art school. Today, he is
30, and a successful sculptor.


While Patrick has been to the US 3 times, his new wife Joanita had never left
Uganda. What made our friendship and interaction on their visit so special was
seeing Americs through the eyes of a person who had only ever seen our country
through whatever bits are shown on Ugandan television, be it news or select TV
shows. And what an innocent, and eye opening lens she has. The number of times I
heard, “only in America”, and for what reasons, was fascinating. It was a lesson
in humility, appreciation, and discovery of things we cannot fully understand.
In no particular order, here are the anecdotes from our day about.


The notable differences between California and Uganda range from how clean the
streets are, to how good a life the Mzungu dogs have! Huh? (Reminder, Mzungu is
the East African generic name for “white guy”)

Yup. How good Mzungu dogs have it. As they entered our house Joanita recoiled at
our little Shiba Inu dog. I asked if she was afraid of dogs? “No, not Mzungu
dogs.” Whaaat?!?!

Mzungu dogs apparently “sure have it good.” That they “would never make it in
Africa where they must live digging thru garbage and hunt for food in the
streets.”


I casually asked Joanita why she married Patrick. “Because he is not like other
African men…he’s more like a Mzungu. Kind, helps with cooking and cleaning. Not
running around.” We laughed at that one.

One of my favorites was when I took them to visit the school the boys attend in
LaJolla and we passed thru security. Get this…”Why is there security…at a
SCHOOL?”, came the ask, with puzzled faces. “We don’t have that in Uganda.” I
have often quipped that many of the supposedly scary places we’ve traveled in
the world are far less spooky and dangerous than in the US. Exclamation point on
that.


One really great moment was taking our Ugandan friends to the beach in LaJolla.
Get this. At 29 years old, Joani has never set foot in sand, or the ocean! It
was like being with a young child; the discovery, the joy, the smiles. “Way past
our view, across the Pacific, is Mozambique.”


Another big difference was that “in Uganda, your nose fills with dust and dirt,
and after one day you could never wear the same clothes again. But here,
everything is so clean. What you wear today, you can wear again on Thursday.”

Prior to arrival in San Diego, they had been at a benefit in Sacramento where
Patrick’s art was sold at auction. While there, they were in a 4 car pile up
(with no one injured), they were in the first car. They marveled at the way
everyone got out and shared their information with the police and other drivers.
When Stacia asked why that was so amazing? They howled, “In Uganda, everyone
involved would get out and run away to disappear!”


Getting into the Tesla, after unplugging the power cable. All the goodies: no
gasoline, large GPS screen enabled, great acceleration…”WHAT is this thing?!?!
Only in America cars like this. You could never have a car like this in Africa.
Would get destroyed by the roads!”

Final anecdote. They told me the performer SHAGGY was big in Africa. All
Jamaican/Reggae base music is in fact. I just happened to have on my playlist
the album by Sting and Shaggy. 44/876. I put it on and it was very popular with
my guests. They had not heard it. But the confusing part to them? WHO is this
Sting?!?! Shaggy is known all over Africa but they had never heard of Sting!
Even after I played Roxanne and Message in a Bottle, I got completely blank
stares.

It’s a small world indeed, punctuated by little differences that make one smile,
and again appreciate how lucky we all are…


 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 








Posted on September 19, 2019September 19, 2019


WHEN I WAS A KID, I CALLED ON A LAND LINE AND I KNEW WHERE I WAS CALLING BUT NOT
WHO I WAS CALLING. TODAY, I KNOW WHO I AM CALLING BUT NOT WHERE I AM CALLING.


Posted on September 19, 2019


T. BOONE PICKENS LETTER AFTER DEATH

?MESSAGE FROM BOONE: “IF YOU ARE READING THIS, I HAVE PASSED ON FROM THIS
WORLD.”

The following message from T. Boone Pickens was written prior to his passing
September 11, 2019.

“If you are reading this, I have passed on from this world — not as big a deal
for you as it was for me.

In my final months, I came to the sad reality that my life really did have a
fourth quarter and the clock really would run out on me. I took the time to
convey some thoughts that reflect back on my rich and full life.

I was able to amass 1.9 million Linkedin followers. On Twitter, more than
145,000 (thanks, Drake). This is my goodbye to each of you.

One question I was asked time and again: What is it that you will leave behind?

That’s at the heart of one of my favorite poems, “Indispensable Man,” which
Saxon White Kessinger wrote in 1959. Here are a few stanzas that get to the
heart of the matter:

Sometime when you feel that your going
Would leave an unfillable hole,
Just follow these simple instructions
And see how they humble your soul;

Take a bucket and fill it with water,
Put your hand in it up to the wrist,
Pull it out and the hole that’s remaining
Is a measure of how you’ll be missed.

You can splash all you wish when you enter,
You may stir up the water galore,
But stop and you’ll find that in no time
It looks quite the same as before.

You be the judge of how long the bucket remembers me.

I’ve long recognized the power of effective communication. That’s why in my
later years I began to reflect on the many life lessons I learned along the way,
and shared them with all who would listen.

Fortunately, I found the young have a thirst for this message. Many times over
the years, I was fortunate enough to speak at student commencement ceremonies,
and that gave me the chance to look out into a sea of the future and share some
of these thoughts with young minds. My favorite of these speeches included my
grandchildren in the audience.

What I would tell them was this Depression-era baby from tiny Holdenville,
Oklahoma — that wide expanse where the pavement ends, the West begins, and the
Rock Island crosses the Frisco — lived a pretty good life.

In those speeches, I’d always offer these future leaders a deal: I would trade
them my wealth and success, my 68,000-acre ranch and private jet, in exchange
for their seat in the audience. That way, I told them, I’d get the opportunity
to start over, experience every opportunity America has to offer.

It’s your shot now.

If I had to single out one piece of advice that’s guided me through life, most
likely it would be from my grandmother, Nellie Molonson. She always made a point
of making sure I understood that on the road to success, there’s no point in
blaming others when you fail.

Here’s how she put it:

“Sonny, I don’t care who you are. Some day you’re going to have to sit on your
own bottom.”

After more than half a century in the energy business, her advice has proven
itself to be spot-on time and time again. My failures? I never have any doubt
whom they can be traced back to. My successes? Most likely the same guy.

Never forget where you come from. I was fortunate to receive the right kind of
direction, leadership, and work ethic — first in Holdenville, then as a teen in
Amarillo, Texas, and continuing in college at what became Oklahoma State
University. I honored the values my family instilled in me, and was honored many
times over by the success they allowed me to achieve.

I also long practiced what my mother preached to me throughout her life — be
generous. Those values came into play throughout my career, but especially so as
my philanthropic giving exceeded my substantial net worth in recent years.

For most of my adult life, I’ve believed that I was put on Earth to make money
and be generous with it. I’ve never been a fan of inherited wealth. My family is
taken care of, but I was far down this philanthropic road when, in 2010, Warren
Buffet and Bill Gates asked me to take their Giving Pledge, a commitment by the
world’s wealthiest to dedicate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy. I
agreed immediately.

I liked knowing that I helped a lot of people. I received letters every day
thanking me for what I did, the change I fostered in other people’s lives. Those
people should know that I appreciated their letters.

My wealth was built through some key principles, including:

A good work ethic is critical.

Don’t think competition is bad, but play by the rules. I loved to compete and
win. I never wanted the other guy to do badly; I just wanted to do a little
better than he did.

Learn to analyze well. Assess the risks and the prospective rewards, and keep it
simple.

Be willing to make decisions. That’s the most important quality in a good
leader: Avoid the “Ready-aim-aim-aim-aim” syndrome. You have to be willing to
fire.

Learn from mistakes. That’s not just a cliché. I sure made my share. Remember
the doors that smashed your fingers the first time and be more careful the next
trip through.

Be humble. I always believed the higher a monkey climbs in the tree, the more
people below can see his ass. You don’t have to be that monkey.

Don’t look to government to solve problems — the strength of this country is in
its people.

Stay fit. You don’t want to get old and feel bad. You’ll also get a lot more
accomplished and feel better about yourself if you stay fit. I didn’t make it to
91 by neglecting my health.

Embrace change. Although older people are generally threatened by change, young
people loved me because I embraced change rather than running from it. Change
creates opportunity.

Have faith, both in spiritual matters and in humanity, and in yourself. That
faith will see you through the dark times we all navigate.

Over the years, my staff got used to hearing me in a meeting or on the phone
asking, “Whaddya got?” That’s probably what my Maker is asking me about now.

Here’s my best answer.

I left an undying love for America, and the hope it presents for all. I left a
passion for entrepreneurship, and the promise it sustains. I left the belief
that future generations can and will do better than my own.

Thank you. It’s time we all move on.”
-T. Boone Pickens


POSTS NAVIGATION

Page 1 Page 2 … Page 23 Next page


“OFF PISTE”

Definition: So as to deviate from what is conventional, usual, or expected. It’s
about hearing the often scornful, “WHAT are you DOING?” And realizing that scorn
often represents the winds of consensus. And in life, as with investing, the
hard thing to do,  and the right thing to do,  are often the same. The real
question is, “What are you NOT doing?... And why not?” Off Piste is learning,
risk taking, and learning to thoughtfully take risks.


CONNECTING THE DOTS

 

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking
backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your
future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma,
whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give
you the confidence to follow your heart even when it leads you off the well-worn
path… and that will make all the difference. “– Steve Jobs

Enjoy your dots.


BLOG ENTRY TAGS

 * Alexander (9)
 * Annika (8)
 * Arthur Gugick (4)
 * cultures (8)
 * Education Around the World (15)
 * Family (3)
 * Gifts (10)
 * Grandma Alvina (1)
 * Grateful (1)
 * How We Got (Get) Here (9)
 * Just Fun (6)
 * Life Lessons (14)
 * Nicholas (12)
 * On the Road (5)
 * Perspective (10)
 * Stacia (3)
 * teaching methods (7)
 * Technology (2)
 * Travel Tips (7)
 * Videos (17)
 * Welcome (1)
 * Zedo (1)

December 2021 M T W T F S S « Jul      12345 6789101112 13141516171819
20212223242526 2728293031  

 * @sixoffpiste
 * mgbalog@gmail.com


THE BALOG TRIBE

Stacia, Michael, Nicholas, Alexander, Annika Balog Mobiles (HK) +852 5280 6465
(US) +919 825 3982 (UK) +44 7408 816061 Mailing Address: 1562 First Avenue
#205-1388 New York, NY 10028


RECENT COMMENTS

 * ALVINA BALOG on Shout out to our dad Zedo: Yeschche Odin
 * ALVINA BALOG on Same same, but different (part deux)
 * ALVINA BALOG on A Day of Hope in Tiananmen Square
 * Nana on A Day of Hope in Tiananmen Square
 * I will give it a perfect score it should be distributed all over to as many
   places as possible great thank you very much #safouhAfassi on A Day of Hope
   in Tiananmen Square


SEARCH

Search for: Search
 * @sixoffpiste
 * mgbalog@gmail.com

Proudly powered by WordPress
 * Work Bond Agreement Format
 * Which Of The Following Identifies The Lowest Value Acceptable To You For A
   Negotiated Agreement
 * What Is The Meaning Of A Employment Agreement
 * What Is A Verbal Agreement
 * What Happens If A Lease Agreement Is Broken
 * Waz Ufabet Agreement 8
 * Vernita Bar Agreement
 * Usda National Processing Agreement
 * Uncontested Divorce Settlement Agreement Template
 * Trusted Exchange Framework And Common Agreement (Tefca)
 * Trade Agreement Eu Vietnam
 * The Relationship Agreement Movie Review
 * Texas Association Of Apartment Lease Agreement
 * Tenancy Agreement Form To Print
 * System Collaboration And Financial Management Agreement
 * Subject Verb Agreement Std 8
 * Strands Of The Good Friday Agreement
 * Stamp Duty For Loan Agreement In Andhra Pradesh
 * Social Security Administration Section 218 Agreement
 * Signing A Joint Tenancy Agreement